No. 41, February 3, 2020

Zhong Nanshan: The current death rate of confirmed cases is about 2.3%, 2.4%, because of the concentration of patients, and the death rate in Wuhan is higher than other cities. But we should not keep alert despite of the low rate of illness and death. In general, compared to H7N9, MERS, H5N1, the rate of death is relatively low, but higher than the ordinary flu.

(CCTV News)

No. 42, February 3, 2020

Zhong Nanshan said on the 2nd, "The national epidemic is still on the rise, but we estimate that the epidemic should not produce a national outbreak, but may only be a local outbreak." Zhong Nanshan said that the most primitive and effective way to face this 2019-nCoV pneumonia outbreak is still "early detection and early isolation." "Our government and relevant departments have taken a number of national initiatives: extended holidays, traffic control, temperature testing in public places and less gathering, and personal protection knowledge, etc., and national public safety awareness has also ensured the smooth implementation of related initiatives." Zhong Nanshan said, "These initiatives effectively block the source of infection, greatly reduce the second and third generation of transmission, and we estimate that this outbreak is expected to peak in the next 10 days to about two weeks, but we still need to strengthen prevention and control on our alert."

No. 43, February 3, 2020

The economic impact of the outbreak depends on the progress and effectiveness of the prevention and control of the outbreak. It should be emphasized that the impact is temporary, and will not change the long-term positive fundamentals of China's economy. Many people take the impact of the SARS epidemic in 2003 on the economy at that time to project the impact of the epidemic, but at this stage, China's economic strength, material base and ability to respond to emergencies are significantly stronger than that time. We have the ability and confidence to win the war of prevention and control of the epidemic, and we also have the ability and confidence to minimize the impact of the epidemic on the economy. At present, the most urgent task is to focus on the decision and deployment in accordance with the Party Central Committee and the State Council, and take precise measures to effectively prevent and control the epidemic, so that the inflection point of the epidemic could come as soon as possible and the normal order of production and life will be restored as soon as possible.

No. 44, February 3, 2020

New coronavirus in a dry environment can only survive for 48 hours, and when in the air for 2 hours, its activity is significantly reduced. Generally speaking, we say that close contact droplet transmission is easy to infect, so keeping a social distance of 1.5 meters to 2 meters or so is relatively safe.

(GlobeNewswire)

No. 4, February 3, 2020

During the epidemic, China's primary health care institutions will suspend face-to-face newborn visits and children's health checkups, and midwifery institutions will set up separate accesses for obstetric clinics and wards as much as possible. The National Health Commission has issued a notice on the prevention and control of pneumonia in children and pregnant mothers with novel coronavirus infection, which specifies that "children and pregnant mothers are susceptible to pneumonia with novel coronavirus infection".

(Beijing Daily)

No. 46, February 3, 2020

On the afternoon of February 3, the National Health Commission held a press conference in Beijing to introduce the situation related to psychosocial services such as online network and telephone hotline in the prevention and control of the pneumonia outbreak of new coronavirus infection. What are the new advances in drug treatment so far? Song Shuli, spokesman for the National Health Commission, said at the conference that there are currently Crizal and Chinese herbal treatments, and clinical trials are collecting clinical information data now. There is also Remdesivir recently, and several medical institutions are organizing trials to study the safety and effectiveness of the drug.

(The Paper)

No. 47, February 3, 2020

A journalist from the Wall Street Journal asked at an online press conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held on the 3rd whether China is discussing with its allies or other countries not to close its borders to the Chinese? Many countries have already closed their borders to China, is China disappointed at this? Hua Chunying responded that China has taken the strictest and most comprehensive preventive and control measures out of great concern for the lives and health of its citizens, far exceeding the WHO recommendations and the requirements of the International Health Regulations. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made clear that the WHO issued the outbreak of novel coronavirus pneumonia as a public health emergency of international concern, with the main purpose of providing necessary international assistance to countries with weak health systems and insufficient public health capacity. WHO is not in favor of or even opposed to a travel ban on China and has repeatedly stated that China has taken firm and strong initiatives, it is always confident that China will overcome the outbreak, we should remain calm in the current situation and there is no need to overreact. We understand that the vast majority of countries have heeded WHO's advice and taken reasonable measures to prevent the epidemic. However, it is regrettable that it is precisely the United States and some other developed countries with strong epidemic prevention capacity and advanced epidemic prevention facilities that have taken the lead in taking excessive restrictive measures, which is contrary to WHO's recommendations. We hope that the countries concerned will look at the epidemic and China's prevention and control work objectively and rationally, and take appropriate measures in accordance with the relevant provisions of the International Health Regulations and the professional and authoritative recommendations made by the WHO, so as to avoid unnecessary interference with international travel.

(GlobeNewswire)

No. 48, February 4, 2020

On February 3, 2020, a cumulative total of 20438 confirmed cases has been reported on the Chinese mainland, including 3235 new cases (2345 in Hubei), and 157 patients are discharged from hospitals after recovery (101 in Hubei). There are 492 new severe cases (442 in Hubei), 64 new deaths (in Hubei), and 5072 new suspected cases.

As of 24:00 of February 3, 2020, 20438 confirmed cases (2 cases less in Heilongjiang by correction) have been reported on the Chinese Mainland (including 2788 severe cases ). The total number of COVID-19 patients discharged from hospitals after recovery reached 632 on the Chinese mainland, with the total death toll at 425.There are 23214 suspected cases.

There are a total of 221015 close contacts, 12755 close contacts were removed from medical observation and 171329 close contacts are still under medical observation.

A cumulative total of 33 confirmed cases has been reported in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, including 15 in Hong Kong, 8 in Macau, and 10 in Taiwan.

(National Health Commission)

No. 49, February 4, 2020

Li Lanjuan, a member of the high-level expert group of the National Health Commission: now there are disinfection facilities on trains and cars, and many places have disinfected elevators, which are generally safe. I am a doctor in the infectious disease department, and I’ve seen many infectious patients in the wards, but after examination I only wash my hands with running water, and only when in direct contact with contaminants do I need to wear gloves.

(CCTV News)

No. 50, February 4, 2020

On the night of February 3, Wuhan City built "makeshift hospitals" in Jianghan District, Wuchang District and East-West Lake District for the treatment of patients with mild pneumonia due to new coronavirus infections. These three "makeshift hospitals", located in the Wuhan International Convention and Exhibition Center, Hongshan Stadium, and Wuhan Keting. Wuhan International Convention and Exhibition Center will be transformed into a 1,000-bed "makeshift hospital"; Wuhan Keting will set up 1,000 beds in A District and 500 beds each in B and C District, and plans to be officially opened on the evening of the 4th; Hongshan Gymnasium "makeshift hospital ", will accommodate 400 beds.

(Changjiang Daily)

No. 51, February 4, 2020

At around 9:00 today, Wuhan Huoshenshan Hospital began to officially receive the batch of confirmed patients with new coronavirus pneumonia.

(CCTV News)  

No. 52, February 4, 2020

Zhang Boli, member of the expert group of the National Health Commission and academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said at a press conference today on the prevention and control of the new coronavirus pneumonia epidemic in Hubei Province that there is no medicine to prevent the virus and people without disease are not suggested to take preventive medicine. There is a rumor recently on Shuanghuanglian’s inhibitory effect. People without internal heat may diarrhea after taking this medicine. It is too early to use it for prevention and treatment, as there is no sufficient evidence.

(CCTV News)

No. 53, February 4, 2020

Jiao Yahui, deputy director of Medical Affairs Bureau of National Health Commission: We now have statistics on the death rate of confirmed cases, the denominator is the cases that can be confirmed now, and there are others that are not included in the current statistics. According to the current confirmed cases, as of 24:00 last night, the death rate of confirmed cases across the country is 2.1%. The death rate of confirmed cases in Hubei province is 3.1%, the death rate of confirmed cases in Wuhan is 4.9%, and the death rate of death in provinces excluding Hubei is 0.16%.

(CCTV News)

No. 54, February 4, 2020

On February 3, the World Bank expressed its sympathy for all those infected with the new coronavirus. The World Bank believes that the Chinese government, for its part, has ample policy space to respond to the outbreak and has injected considerable liquidity into the market, those initiatives could cushion the damage to China's economic growth caused by the epidemic.

On February 3, China's central bank conducted 1.2 trillion yuan of open market reverse repo operations to inject funds, ensuring an adequate supply of liquidity, with overall banking system liquidity 900 billion yuan more than a year earlier. The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund IMF, Kristalina Georgieva, expressed her sincere condolences on the new coronavirus pneumonia outbreak on February 3, and said “we support the measures taken by the Chinese government in recent times in response to this outbreak, including in the fiscal, monetary and financial areas. The Chinese economy continues to show great resilience and we are confident in this regard”.

In addition, IMF Managing Director Georgieva recorded a video message for the Chinese people on the 3rd of March, sending her best wishes for the Chinese New Year, expressing her deep condolences to all those affected by the severe coronavirus outbreak and expressing her readiness to do whatever she can to help. She said in Chinese, "Go China!" "Go Wuhan!" .  

(People's Daily)

No. 55, February 4, 2020

As of 12:00 noon today, the overall progress of Wuhan Leishenshan Hospital is 90% complete, and the isolation ward area is 85% of the overall workload. Among them, the lifting of 2320 box-type panel rooms was completed, the flooring adhesive construction of 1100 rooms was completed, the installation and decoration in the rooms were constructed simultaneously; the equipment foundation of garbage disposal station, liquid oxygen station, positive and negative pressure station room and garbage temporary storage room were completed, the lifting of equipment of sewage treatment station was completed, the installation of pipes was completed by 80%, and the medical and nursing living area completed 95% of the overall workload. Leishenshan Hospital will be put into use tomorrow, and can accommodate 1600 beds and more than 2000 medical and nursing staff.

(CCTV News)

No. 56, February 4, 2020

On the 4th, the team Li Lanjuan, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and member of the high-level expert group of the National Health Commission, announced the latest research results for the treatment of pneumonia caused by novel coronavirus in Wuhan. According to preliminary tests, in vitro cellular experiments showed that: (1) Abidor at 10-30 micromolar concentrations effectively inhibited coronavirus up to 60-fold compared to drug-untreated controls, and significantly inhibited the lesional effects of the virus on cells. (2) Darunavir significantly inhibited viral replication at a concentration of 300 micromolar, and the inhibition efficiency was up to 280-fold when compared with the drug-untreated group.

(Changjiang Daily)

No. 57, February 4, 2020

According to Hubei Daily, the Wuhan Sports Center is building a "Makeshift Hospital," which will accommodate a total of 1,100 beds in the main gymnasium and badminton training hall, with 600 beds in the main gymnasium of 4300 square meters, and 500 beds in the training hall of 3400 square meters. Official from Wuhan Development Zone, said the hospital will be open at midnight of the 5th.

(Hubei Daily)

No. 58, February 4, 2020

On February 4, 2020, a cumulative total of 24324 confirmed cases has been reported on the Chinese mainland, including 3887 new cases (3156 in Hubei), and 262 patients are discharged from hospitals after recovery (125 in Hubei). There are 431 new severe cases (377 in Hubei), 65 new deaths (in Hubei), and 3971 new suspected cases.

892 COVID-19 patients are discharged from hospitals after recovery (one less in Hainan and one less in Hubei by correction)

There are a total of 252154 close contacts, 18457 close contacts were removed from medical observation and 185555 close contacts are still under medical observation.

A cumulative total of 39 confirmed cases has been reported in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, including 18 in Hong Kong (1 death), 10 in Macau, and 11 in Taiwan.

(National Health Commission)

No. 59, February 5, 2020

According to the official website of the National Health Commission, today, the National Health Commission released the "Pneumonia Treatment Plan for Novel Coronavirus Infection (Trial Version V)". The fifth version of the trial treatment plan makes it clear that the source of infection seen so far is mainly patients with novel coronavirus infection. Asymptomatic infected persons may also become the source of infection.

(People's Daily)

No. 60, February 5, 2020

Today, at the press conference of the State Council's joint prevention and control mechanism, Guo Yanhong, ombudsman of Medical Administration of National Health Commission, pointed out that the fifth edition of the diagnosis and treatment plan, compared with the fourth edition, focuses on three revised aspects. First, the epidemiological features are clearer, with more detailed descriptions of clinical manifestations, and second, the clinical typing of cases is divided into four categories. Compared with the fourth edition, the milde type has been added, and now there are four categories: mild, common, heavy and critical, in order to strengthen the guidance of clinical classification, and improve the level of treatment.

(People's Daily)